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In-ground Pool liner and coping replacement progress w/pics

To recap, here is the pool in question. The liner is due to be replaced and the previous owner concreted over the automatic cover opening. Also, the original coping was set on a course of brick to increase its height which makes no sense. Also, the coping was mortared to the bond beam and butted to the deck which is a no-no from an expansion perspective. This is a total DIY project.

First, I need a source for liner track. Harder than I thought to find. I'm leaning toward horizontally applied for ease of replacement later on.

Second, I'm going to replace the skimmer. Its 20 years old and I've found cracks inside. This is a concrete wall (8")constructed vinyl pool. What is the correct skimmer to buy? I think its a Hayward 10841, but I'm not really sure. I see that DanO has just asked about replacing a skimmer. His pool appears to be gunite, mine is vinyl but it looks like the advice given there is useful to me as well.

Re: In-ground Pool liner and coping replacement progress w/pics

The only place I can think of is APC (Aquatics Parts Company) - the track won't be cheap

The 1084 skimmer looks like what you'll want. Do follow the advice given to DanO (here) and ask questions as needed

As for the cantilever (poured on) deck - I wouldn't attempt it for my own pool- it's much easier to use precast coping or brick/ stone, but if you know someone with lots of experience doing the cantilever decks, that's a different story.

If you need any tips & tricks for installing either the receiver or coping, simply ask

Luv& Luk
-Ted

Having done construction and service for 4 pool companies in 4 states starting in 1988, what I know about pools could fill a couple of books - what I don't know could fill a couple of libraries :-D

Re: In-ground Pool liner and coping replacement progress w/pics

Thanks for the advise.

I was able to find one distributor. 8 feet at $10, so not too bad. Took a bit of looking though. APC looks like its mostly for the trade, but I can give them a call in the next couple of days. Don't know if they do retail.

A follow-on question on the track. What screws to use? Are they self drilling, or am I going around the pool with a drill in one hand and a driver in the other? Stainless, coated, what? It looks like 6" spacing is the recommendation.

Regarding the poured coping. I think it would look better if done right. I'm calling around tomorrow to see if we have a local contractor who can do the pour. It would need to be a monolithic pour so that would require labor to haul enough concrete quickly. I live in a small town and we have few local contractors. We definitely don't even have a pumper truck so the concrete will need to be wheelbarrowed.

I'm looking at pre-cast as well. A semi-local place can do 30" segments at a cost of about $16 per foot. Delivery is on me since its 120 miles away. This has a higher probability of sucess, but at a somewhat reduced attractiveness.

I've kind of fallen in love with this pool coping concept I found on-line. Simple to form, elegant to look at. Don't know how it would look considering I'm keeping my existing deck. Forming it up looked simple. 2x material along the wall to create the cantilever, second 2x to form the inside wall. I would need to figure out how to attach to the wall though. Probably a bunch of concrete screws. Here is a pic and a reference...Maybe I'll be in love with something else tomorrow.

Re: In-ground Pool liner and coping replacement progress w/pics

Is it normal for the liner to be brittle? Pretty much just cracked into large chunks. Its now in nice trashcan sized pieces. Don't think it can be recycled, so to the landfill it goes?

New questions?

Is this much algae normal under a liner?

Also, tell me what I need to do with this lifting layer of plaster. I guess I got maybe 15 sq ft of hollow sounding areas in the walls. My understanding is that these liner pools are vermiculite/cement below the vertical wall. The under layer seems solid, but a bit soft. A tool will dent it. Same with the over layer. There are also areas that seem like they are repaired with something stronger like plaster or stucco mix. Not too much of that though.

If I'm right on the vermiculite/cement, where do I get the vermiculite and what ratio to mix and what adhesion promoter to use if any.

Sorry for so many questions, I literally have no local sources to lean on.